Catholics And Lutherans On Apostolic Succession
Date
2005
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Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
Most of the churches hold that each is the true church and the others are not.
We even have churches Egiuing one another and acquiring mission territories, where
no other church should come to interfere with their mission thus developing enmity.
This is contrary to the gospel which each church claim to be preaching. The reason
behind all these is our understanding of the scripture and what we mean by the
mission entrusted to us by Christ. How can we accommodate one another as
perpetuators of shalom. whch was the main intention of Christ's incarnation, that all
may be one? This can be &thieved if we go back to the drawing board, where we can
come to terms with the true mission ideology actualised in the field. Dialogue comes
in as the diagnosis to this problem.
The closing words of his holiness John Paul II during the interreligious
assembly serves as our opening tag for this voyage, which we are about to begin.
This is to make us open the doors for a scent of fresh air to come in and
accommodate one another as partners in dialogue. He said: The Holy Father's words express the desire to have the peace in its
Fullness, '.here humanity may 1;ve as brothers and sisters, no hatred or segregation
on religious affiliation He advocates for promotion of human virtues in order to
bring this shalom. The implication here is that to recognise others we have to
acknowledge that they are different and we have come together in order to learn
more deeply from one another.
In our Christian context today, we have different groupings mushrooming.
our Protestant brethren's have seen the need of coming together in order to have
discussions on various doctrines and co-operate in evangelisation. The result was the
formation of the World Council of Churches. The Lutherans have the world
Lutheran federation. In the Catholic Church we have a special commission currently
under Cardinal Walter Kasper, known as Pontifical Council for the Promotion of
Christian Unity, which has a role of promoting this ecumenical spirit and inter
religious dialogue.
In the decree on ecumenism the sacred synod gives the justification for
dialogue with the ecclesial communities separated from us. It says that: "although
they lack the fullness of unity which flows from baptism, and although we believe
they have not preserved the proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness
especially because of the absence of the sacrament of Orders.., this should form
subject of dialogue."(UR 22)
The Catholics and the Lutherans have come together forming the joint
theological group, which has the role of discussing various doctrines and coming to .....
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Keywords
Catholics, Catholics, Apostolic Succession